Android apps coming to the Windows Phone Store?

Windows Phone users might soon be able to run Android apps on their phone. Insiders with knowledge of Microsoft's plan say that the Redmond based software giant is giving serious consideration to the idea of allowing Android apps to run on both Windows and Windows Phone. The idea is receiving mixed reviews from Microsoft executives. Some are in favor of allowing Android apps to be listed in both the Windows Store and Windows Phone Store. Others believe that supporting Android apps would mark the beginning of the end of the Windows Phone platform.

Many Windows Phone users had hoped that the app gap between Windows Phone and Android would eventually close, the same way that the Google Play Store eventually caught up to Apple's App Store. The latter had a huge lead over the Android Market, which was eventually renamed the Google Play Store. But as Android became the most popular mobile OS on the planet, that lead for the App Store eventually disappeared.

Microsoft has been trying to push developers to write their most popular apps for the Windows Phone platform. While apps like Instagram and Vine are now available for Windows Phone users, there are still plenty of apps not available for Windows Phone. But allowing Android apps to run on Windows Phone might not be the answer. BlackBerry 10 allows Android apps to run on that platform, yet there has not been a surge in sales of those phones. On the other hand, Windows Phone sales did show some momentum last year, and with the GDR3 update, Windows Phone manufacturers can now compete with top shelf Android models. While the update allows Windows Phone handsets like the Nokia Lumia 1520, to match up specs wise with powerful Android devices like the LG G2, the Lumia 1520 still sorely trails in the app department. If Microsoft goes ahead with this plan, that gap could quickly disappear.

For this to happen, Microsoft will have to come up with a simple way for consumers to be able to download, install, and run the Android apps on their devices. And many inside Microsoft's camp are concerned about the message that this would be sending to consumers. But those favoring the plan are not concerned with this. They want to use Android's popularity to sell more devices running Windows Phone and to sign these people up for Microsoft services. And that is something certainly within reach if Android apps are allowed to run on Windows Phone.

This is actually kind of bad for non-hardcore WP users because it gives the impression that the OS is lacking and has to borrow from a "better" or more developed OS. It is fine as a stop gap measure but it needs native content fast so the image isn't ruined and new users are disillusioned by it.

Never mind WP has always given the impression that the OS is lacking and is adding features that Android currently enjoys. This is a fact. Not only that WP is still missing features. To this day their still isn't even a file explorer for any WP device. You state that WP needs native content fast, so how do you get native content fast?

No, we have something good already, and we're getting tons more with WP8.1-0xxxx.
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No need for this foolishness... Besides, isn't it kinda hypocritical for MS to down on Google then use their apps??.. I don't like this.. We don't need Androids help.

Yea. Its extremely hypocritical if MS does this. I said it before...that Scroogled campaign was a waste of money seeing as how WP user use Chrome more than Bing.....it will be an even bigger waste if they do this.

Bing is so much better when searching for "bad videos", lol. Just type "schoolgirl" and everything is right there on the first page, even if the search filter is ON. Google cannot do that even if the safe search filter is turned off.
Yep, just the word "schoolgirl". ;)

I use Chrome, so... well. And what features and what buddies are you talking about. I'm very out of track here... (no, seriously, I'm lost) What do safe search on IE have to do with features WP doesn't have?
Anyway, I think Microsoft needs to filter Bing more. It's pretty inappropriate to show a whole bunch of porn links as top results just for the word "schoolgirl", especially when the search filter is on.
But well... who knows. Maybe Microsoft considers that a strong point? B-)

I agree 100% bud. I'm sure as time goes on WP will catch up there will be little to no app gap. But yeah it would be hypocritical of ms to go this way just to try and sell devices. I'm an Android guy, but seriously...why would I want to buy a ms device if my intention was to run Android apps on it??? If I wanted ms apps, the obvious choice would be to adopt the entire platform properly by utilizing the hardware that's actually designed to run said platform's app's etc.

Yes, basically it just needs an emulator to convert the java code into byte code the windows phone can understand. That is how all java stuff works, on a virtual machine, so it can be used anywhere. The Android SDK on windows for example has Android emulators for a lot of their hardware for developers to test on.

Not just a java VM...also need to emulate the Android API and hardware layers. Also some Android apps actually execute native bytecode (compiled from C++) which means you would also have to translate API and hardware calls for that (bytecode emulation/translation probably wouldn't be much of an issue as most Windows phones run Qualcomm CPUs)

They might just allow developers to submit emulators to the store,, as simple as that.. That might be what al the fuss is about.. After all, one developer did mention yesterday that MS was letting up on the OS to let developers do a lot more of what they've already been able to do on other platforms... Sounds like MS is just opening up WP a bit more.. Which is a good idea..

It is more then just making an emulator. You have to emulate Android's UI and input methods as well. Not to mention access to hardware like cameras, sensors, open gl, access to the filesystem/directories and the list goes on.
Currently right now there isn't even a file explorer on any WP device. Just one of the many restrictions on WP.

You're really stuck on this file explorer mentality.. When was the last time you even used a WP device?.. Usually when someone thinks that WP is lacking so much, and is a drag to use, they've never even owned a WP8 device.. Does your opinion matter?

WP is lacking bro, comparing it to WinMo (im not gonna drag Droid into this). With WinMo, you had a computer in your hands, literally. You can do everything from having full access to system files to editing the registry to make it work like you want it to. Back in the day, when pix messages were limited to 500kb, i jacked my MDA to receive pix messages up to 2MB. Can you do that with WP. I said this before and I will say it again (I hope your listening Microsoft). If I wanted an iPhone, i would buy an iPhone, not your crap. And this is all coming from a loyal WinMo fanboy that is STILL using his HD2 as a daily driver LOL.

Are you saying that WP8.0-3black isn't enough OS for the average user?
Are you saying that WP8.1-0xxxx isn't enough OS for the average user?
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I think we all know by now that WP US, and China, market share isn't low because of the OS.... And, lets not forget the fact that WP is doing great in several markets around the world... No need to panic..

What are you afraid of? People finding out the truth? They might find out that WP doesn't do everything that android can do. Are you afraid that WP might support open gl now? Or are you intimidated at the number of apps that Android has? Maybe your afraid that people will see that WP is really not great?

If anyone is afraid, they are the Android fans. They are afraid of non-Android OS like iOS and WP improving and WP in the future being another OS giving heat to Android, as well as the future Android competition. They hate that. Sorry, but THAT is the truth,

Nobody's afraid of anything, young fellow.. Lol.. Relax dude, we're just talking about smartphones here, man..
Calm down dude... There are more things in life, for those who actually have on, so back the #### up, please...
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Lol! You're hardcore dude, I'll give you that.. You got passion... I like that!!!

I'm afraid that the guy might end up purchasing an Android and then finding that the phone lags when doing even the most basic functions eg. making a call or texting. Hence i'm advising him to choose a better or a OS that lags less i.e WP or even iOS.

No, I disagree.. Sorry... Next time you should shop more wisely..
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I think I've only agreed with you like only 3 times this year so far... That's better than nothing.. Lol!!!... Next time just get a Android device,,, or would you just complain, complain, complain, complain, complain about that too... I bet you've been called a negative person a lot in your life... Think about that.. No, really think about that.

Alterecho, I'm on the same page as you, I bought a Nokia because it was a Nokia.

I can handle Windows Phone, but it is missing key features that, hopefully, 8.1 will address.

The problem here is, 90% of the time on this board, you're talking to fanboys that are so stuck on their company (Apple, Google, Microsoft, Samsung, etc.), that they can't see through the rose-colores shades they sport. Every (EVERY) company has its pros and con's, but some people here lack the ability to see this and objectively discuss it without looking like a total mark.

I would disagree. From all the issues I deal with droid on a daily basis...I could care less if I have file manager, or that I don't have a background picture or even notifications (seriously tiles is great).

I thank my stars that I dumped droid as my primary 2yrs ago.

There is not one thing on there that I go, darn my phone doesn't do that, it's not a complete OS.

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